6 reasons to take a working holiday in Queensland

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By Danielle Reckless

Travelling the world can be exhilarating, but when your time is limited, you risk missing the best parts. So it makes sense to stay in one place, take your time and live like a local on a working holiday, where you can really get beneath the surface of a destination.

Craving authentic travel? Take the ultimate gap-year with a working holiday in Queensland – where travel is part of your everyday, and excitement and new experiences are around every corner.

Achieving that coveted work-life balance is much easier when you work on an island, out in the outback, on a boat exploring the Great Barrier Reef, or surrounded by a World Heritage-listed rainforest. Seek sunshine and adventure in our beach towns along the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, or dine and play in the vibrant River City, a capital unlike any other.

An abundance of job opportunities across the state – from hospitality and tourism to trades - here are six reasons why you should sign up for a working holiday in Queensland.

1. You can get to know the best state in the country on a deeper level

Tour group enjoys a rainforest swim in the clear waters of Emmagen Creek in the Daintree National Park, Billy Tea Safaris | working holidays in Queensland

It’s one thing to visit, but a longer stay means more time to explore all corners of the state and instil the Queenslander spirit inside you. With the extra time you gain during your working holiday in Queensland, you’ll be able to learn the local secrets, drill deeper than the typical tourist hot spots and see more of the area than you would if only visiting.

Take Cairns for example. If you were just passing through on a holiday, you’d probably spend a day on the reef and a day in the Daintree trying to fit in as much as possible. But there’s so much more to be uncovered: stick around and you’ll go croc spotting, explore the oldest and best-preserved lava tube systems in the world, swim with dwarf minke whales, and wander our ancient rainforests with Indigenous guides. And that’s before jumping off into hidden islands and other unique adventures.

Even in our capital, a working holiday in Queensland isn’t about the 9-5. Spend your weeknights soaking up Brisbane’s nightlife – from riverside bars to twilight kayaking – and your weekends exploring the incredible Scenic Rim or snorkelling the Wrecks at Moreton Island. Then, use your holiday leave for incredible life-changing experiences like watching baby turtles hatch on the reef, zipping through the Whitsundays islands, pitching a tent on an island all to yourself, or road-tripping into the outback for the world’s most remote music festival.

2. Our sunshine will warm you all year round

Walking on sand bar near Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet | working holidays in Queensland

With between 280 and 320 days of sunshine a year, a working holiday in Queensland feels much more like just a holiday. Whether you’re working in an Airlie Beach hotel, a Brisbane City office building, on the fruit fields in Bundaberg or a beachfront cafe on the Gold Coast, the warm temperatures and blue skies are sure to make the fact you’re technically working not seem true. It’s no wonder Queenslanders offer a warm welcome – it’s too hard to be unhappy when life’s this good.

3. You can explore while earning money

Ellinjaa Falls Exploring the waterfall circuit Atherton Tablelands | working holidays in Queensland — Ellinjaa Falls

The real beauty of a working holiday in Queensland is that it gives you the extra funds you need to get out and explore – even on a budget. Even if you’re travelling solo.

A working holiday in Queensland is your invitation to make the most of every moment. Chase waterfalls. Hike through national parks. Road trip into Outback Queensland, to wine-country, or along Australia’s Nature Coast Drive where you’ll discover rugged coastline, one of the world’s only Everglades biospheres, and meet humpback whales up close. Save up while adventuring and treat yourself to a big-ticket trip that’ll change your life.

4. You’ll get to know the locals

Feeding kangaroo at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | working holidays in Queensland

There’s always a Queenslander out and about willing to help, point you in the right direction, and tell you their favourite local hangouts. The fun, laid-back Aussie lifestyle is contagious and once you catch it, you won’t want to let it go.

Sign up for a working holiday in Queensland and you’ll do more than learn on the job, you’ll learn about life – whether that’s while connecting with Indigenous culture or having a yarn with a local at a country pub – and you’ll make friends for life.

Our native animals love making new friends, too. You’ll soon get used to kangaroos wandering around, the cackling of the kookaburras in the morning, and the great eight will be your new crew. And if you want to take a closer look, discover incredible wildlife parks like Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, Brisbane’s Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas. For the chance to spot wildlife in the wild, make your way to K’gari (Fraser Island) to see dingoes, swim with manta rays and turtles while snorkelling off Lady Elliot Island, and sign up for a whale watching experience in Hervey Bay.

5. Work-life balance comes easy

Surfer at Elephant Rock, Surfing on the Gold Coast | working holidays in Queensland

Even Queensland locals know the secret to life is making the most of our spectacular surrounds. We don’t take things too seriously, and there’s always room for an adventure. It’s hard not to be inspired by this relaxed lifestyle, where mornings begin with a sunrise surf or coffee on the riverside before work, and where glasses are raised at knock-off drinks among incredible views – whether you’re on a rooftop or by the water.

Brisbane is undoubtedly Australia’s most chilled-out capital, but if you’re not keen on city living there are plenty of small towns – from the beach to the bush and outback – to base yourself on a working holiday in Queensland. Especially if you prefer the great outdoors to a desk job.

6. Life changing experiences are waiting on your doorstep

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef at Saba Bay Hook Island | working holidays in Queensland

When your backyard is home to the best diving spots around the globe, five awe-inspiring World Heritage sites and island paradises that look even better than the postcard, you’ve got the perfect base for life-changing experiences and true bucket list adventures.

If it’s natural beauty you seek during your working holiday in Queensland, make your way to all 10 of Queensland’s most spectacular places. If you’re looking for adventures that’ll make an impact, we’ve got that too. And if you want to travel while minimising your own impact, check out our guide to sustainable travel in Queensland.

Need help deciding where to base yourself on your working holiday?

Work in Cairns if you want to explore the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree rainforest.
Work in Airlie Beach if you want The Whitsundays and Australia’s most beautiful beach on your doorstep.
Work on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast to spend your days on the sand and your weekends in the hinterland.
Base yourself in Brisbane to soak up culture, our cosmopolitan food scene and life by the river.